Fish scaler



Septf25, 1951 P, SAGERS 2,569,022

f FISH scALER Filed Abril 21. 1949 A 22 nventor /g 5 PETER SAGERS Patented Sept. 25.,l 1951 FISH SCALER VPeter Sagers, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application April 21, 1949, Serial No. 88,843

3 Claims.

This linvention relates in general to a fish sealer and more particularly to a type thereof which can be firmly gripped between the thumb and fingers and which is designed to positively control' the movement of fish scales during a scaling operation.

Fishermen, as well as other persons acquainted with the problems of cleaning fish, have long recognized the desirability for a fish scaling device designed to prevent fish scales from fiying duringthe scaling operation. The need for such a devicehas become particularly apparent where the fish must be cleaned indoors. It is easily observed that flying fish scales result from the fact that alliish scaling devices presently known to exist either provide no means for controlling the action of the fish scales after they are removed from the fish, or are so fiexible that they actually impart speed to the movement of the scales as they are removed from the fish. In addition to the above mentioned undesirable features, presently known types of fish scaling devices provide no means for preventing the fish scales from getting on the hand holding the scaling device and, due tov their structure, often cause considerable discomfort to the hand holding the scaling device.

Accordingly, a primary object of my invention `is the provision of a fish scaling device whereby the action of the fish scales, as they are removed from a fish, is positively controlled and said scales are prevented from flying in all directions. A further object of my invention is the provision of a fish scaling device, as aforesaid, having a scaling edgewhich is so close to the hand operating the device that there is no chance for flexion between the scaling edge and the scaling device, which flexion normally contributes substantially to the iiying of the fish scales.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a fish scaling device, as aforesaid, having means for preventing the fish scales from coming in contact with the hand holding the scaling device.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a fish Scaler, as aforesaid, which is extremely small and compact in size, which has a scaling edge sumciently dull that the device can be easily carried in a pocket without causing damagethereto, which can be easily fabricated in a single piece, and which can be used sufiiciently by persons unskilled in scaling fish. l Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of equipment upon referring to the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following specification.

2 v l In meetingthose objects and purposes heretofore mentioned, as well as others incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have provided a fish sealer comprising a gripping portionhaving recesses contoured for and engageable by the tips of the thumb and fingers of a single hand..` A blade portion, which is preferably integral with said gripping portion, extends therefromY along the side thereof adjacent to the portions of said recesses engageable by the tips of said thumb and fingers. The blade portion is provided with a scaling edge substantially parallel to a plane defined by those edges of said recesses adjacent to said blade portion. Thus, when the fish scaler is held in operating position said scaling edge is directly below the tips of said thumb and fingers.

For the purpose of convenience in description, the terms upper or above and lower or below, as used in this specification, shall be understood to have reference to the device, vor the parts thereof, when positioned or operating in their normal manner of use.

For illustrations of a preferred embodiment of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of my fish Scaler showing a thumb recess therein. Y

Figure 2 is an end elevation view of the leftward end of said fish sealer as appearing in Figure 1 and showing the thumb and first finger recesses.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation view of my fish scaler showing first and second finger recesses.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of my fish sealer.

Figure 5 is an end elevation view of'my fish sealer, from the rightward end thereof as 'appearing in Figure 1, and the thumb and fingers of a hand holding my scaler in operating position with respect to a fish.

The fish sealer l0 (Figures 1, 2 and 3), t0 which this invention relates, is preferably fabricated, as by casting, from any appropriate material such as aluminum or a plastic. The fish sealer I0 is comprised of a gripping portion H and a blade portion I2 which blade portion is preferably, but not necessarily, integral with said gripping portion.

The gripping portion Il (Figures 1, 2 and 3) has a thumb recess I3 on one side thereof and first and second finger recesses I4 and l5,'respectively, on the other side thereof. The said recesses I3, I4 and I5 are advantageously contoured for engagement by the ends of the thumb and first and second fingers, respectively, of a single hand. The lower end of the gripping portion Il extends outwardly below the thumb and finger recesses t provide the thumb shelf I6 and the finger shelf I1. The upper surfaces of the thumb and finger shelves I6 and I1, respectively, constitute the lower portions of the thumb and finger recesses I3, I4 and I5. These said upper surfaces are engaged by the tips of the thumb I8 and the first and second fingers I9 and 2| (Figure as the sealer I0 is urged downwardly against *the vfish .22, vduring thescaling operation.

The bladeportion I2 (Figure 2) which, as aforesaid, is preferably integral with the gripping portion ll, extends downwardly below the gripping portion I I and has a substantially wedge shaped cross-section. The blade portion I2 is provided with a fiat scaling surface 23 and afsubstantially flat, serrated bottom surface 24 which surfaces intersect along the scaling edge 25, said scaling edge being remote from the gripping portionil I. The serrations 26 in theserrated surface 24 extend.` into the scalingedge 25 thereby also causing said scaling edge 25 to be serrated, `as shown in Figures land 3. v

Thescaling edge 25 is preferably, but vnot necessmily, substantially parallel with a plane defined by those edges of the thumb and finger recesses I3, I4 and I5, respectively, adjacent to the blade portion I2. Said scaling edge is, therefore, preferably spaced from and directly vbelow the grippingportion II.

Thescaling surface 23, which extends between thescaling edge 25 and the .thumb shelf I6, defines a plane which substantially bisects the thumb recess I3. The serra-ted surface 24 extends from lthe scaling edge 25 and blends into the lower edgeof the finger shelf Il. The scaling surface 23 is preferably disposed at an angle of from about 75 to 85 degrees to the serrated surface24.

Asshown in Figure 5, the scaling surface 23 is preferably Adisposed at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the surface of the sh .22 during the scaling operation. The thumb and finger recesses I3, I4 and I5, respectively, are preferably so disposed in the gripping portion II :as to facilitate the angular disposition, mentioned above between the scaling surface 23 and the fish 22, when the 'fish sealer I0 is manually heldinanormal, comfortable position above the fish being scaled whereby direct downward lpressure-can beapplied to the fish scaler.

It will be seen in Figure 5 that the thumb shelf I6 extends outwardly from the scaling surface 23 so as to'sliield the thumb I8 from the scales being removed from the fish 22. The thumb shelf I6 also deflects fish scales being removed from the fish .22 downwardly toward the fish, thereby controlling their action and preventing their dispersal. Inasmuch as the fish scaler I0 is drawn across .thesurface of the fish 22, the wiping or flexing action normally created by conventionalv fish scal- 'ers is completely eliminated.

g It will be recognized that although the scaling edge 25 is herein shown and described as having a serrated edge, the serrations 26 may be omitted therefrom without departing from the vscope of this invention. Furthermore, although the above mentioned-drawing and description apply to one particular, preferred embodiment of my invention, it is not4 my intention, impliedor otherwise, to eliminate other variations or .modifications which do not depart from the scope `of this invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a one-piece, compact fish sealer, the com= bination comprising: a gripping portion havingl a thumb tip recess on one side thereof and two finger tip recesses on the opposite side thereof; a blade portion integral with said gripping portion and having a flat, narrow scaling surface with a rigid, serrated scaling edge remote from said gripping portion, said scaling surface defining a plane substantially bisecting said thumb recess longitudinally; and a shelf integral with said grip- Vping portion and extending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to said scaling surface between said thumb recess and said scaling surface for deflecting scales away from said gripping portion.

2. In a one piece, compact fish sealer, the combination comprising: a scaling portion having a planar face surface with a plurality of parallel serrations therealong and having a narrow.'fiat scaling surface substantially perpendicular Iboth to said face surface and to the `lengthwise extent of said serrations, said scaling surface. intersect. ing .said face surface to provide a rigid. serrated scaling edge; and a gripping portion extending rigidly from thatside of said scaling `portionremote from the scaling edge and extending outwardly `of said scaling surface to provide lashelf substantially perpendicular thereto,.saidvgripping portionhaving a thumb `tip recess adjacent ttosaid shelf and spaced therefrom to :provide a v.wall therebetween and a pair of finger tip recesses on the opposite `side .of said gripping portion adjacent to said face surfaceand spaced :therefrom :to provide a'wall between said face surface .ands'aid finger recesses. v 3. Ina one piece, compact fish sealer, the combination comprising: aplanar facesurface `having a plurality of parallel serrations therein; amat, narrow scaling surfacesubstantially perpendicular both tosaid face surface'and to '.the lengthwise extentof .theserrations said scalingvsurface intersecting saidface surace to provide amigld, serrated scaling edge; a shelf substantially perpendicular to said scaling surface and intersecting same along that edge thereof v'remotefrom said scaling .'edge, saidshelf and face surface extending inopposite directions from said scaling surface; a thumb tip recess'adjac'entto -said shelf and spaced therefrom to :provide aiwall therebetween; and .a zpair .of `finger tip Yrecesses .on the opposite side of said sealer from said V.thumbrecess, adjacent to lsaid face surface and spaced thererom to provide a wallbetween said face surface and` said finger'recesses. l PETERSAGERS;

REFERENCES CITED The lfollowing references fare of record in -the file of this patent:

AUNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

